* ''Hardware''<br />Wi-Fi hardware that supports WPA (more exactly WPA Enterprise with PEAP/MS-CHAP v2). Almost all laptops have this built-in since a few years. All Intel Centrino laptops should be fine. N.B.: There is a security vulnerability in the Intel Centrino Windows-drivers, see [http://support.intel.com/support/wireless/wlan/sb/cs-010623.htm Intel support] for more information and updates. If one wants to use the Intel PROSet/Wireless software instead of the Windows software, the update above could be necessary. <br /> Laptops from 2003 or later should be fine too, but often you need a driver-update (see the manufacturers web-site). When the built-in hardware doesn't support WPA, one can buy for about EUR 30,- a PCMCIA-card or USB-stick that does. See if needed [http://www.wi-fi.org wi-fi.org] for "certified" hardware. C&amp;CZ has tested two low-cost certified PCMCIA-cards, Linksys WPC54G-EU and D-Link DWL-G650+. Older 11 Mbit/s 802.11b hardware as well as newer 54 Mbit/s 802.11g hardware can be used, as long as WPA is supported.

+

* ''Hardware''<br />Wi-Fi hardware that supports WPA (more exactly WPA Enterprise with PEAP/MS-CHAP v2 and/or TTLS). Almost all laptops have this built-in since a few years. All Intel Centrino laptops should be fine. N.B.: There is a security vulnerability in the Intel Centrino Windows-drivers, see [http://support.intel.com/support/wireless/wlan/sb/cs-010623.htm Intel support] for more information and updates. If one wants to use the Intel PROSet/Wireless software instead of the Windows software, the update above could be necessary. <br /> Laptops from 2003 or later should be fine too, but often you need a driver-update (see the manufacturers web-site). When the built-in hardware doesn't support WPA, one can buy for about EUR 30,- a PCMCIA-card or USB-stick that does. See if needed [http://www.wi-fi.org wi-fi.org] for "certified" hardware. C&amp;CZ has tested two low-cost certified PCMCIA-cards, Linksys WPC54G-EU and D-Link DWL-G650+. Older 11 Mbit/s 802.11b and 54 Mbit/s 802.11g hardware as well as newer 600 Mbit/s 802.11n hardware can be used, as long as WPA is supported.

Revision as of 14:32, 16 March 2012

Contents

Wireless network Faculty of Science

Because the Science wireless network will be phased out, you are advised to use the ru-wlan wireless network, or if available, eduroam. Athentication:

ru-wlan: U-number and RU password, or and Science password

eduroam: and RU password, or and Science password

Within the Science Faculty a secure wireless wi-fi WPA network is available at almost every place in the Huygens building since July 2005. The network advertises itself with the names (SSID's) ""ru-wlan", "eduroam" and/or "Science"". It can be used by people with a U- or S-number and RU-password, but also by everybody with a Science-login.

What you need

To access this "Science"-network, you need:

HardwareWi-Fi hardware that supports WPA (more exactly WPA Enterprise with PEAP/MS-CHAP v2 and/or TTLS). Almost all laptops have this built-in since a few years. All Intel Centrino laptops should be fine. N.B.: There is a security vulnerability in the Intel Centrino Windows-drivers, see Intel support for more information and updates. If one wants to use the Intel PROSet/Wireless software instead of the Windows software, the update above could be necessary. Laptops from 2003 or later should be fine too, but often you need a driver-update (see the manufacturers web-site). When the built-in hardware doesn't support WPA, one can buy for about EUR 30,- a PCMCIA-card or USB-stick that does. See if needed wi-fi.org for "certified" hardware. C&CZ has tested two low-cost certified PCMCIA-cards, Linksys WPC54G-EU and D-Link DWL-G650+. Older 11 Mbit/s 802.11b and 54 Mbit/s 802.11g hardware as well as newer 600 Mbit/s 802.11n hardware can be used, as long as WPA is supported.

CertificateTo install the missing certificate, you sometimes need to download this certificate and install it on your device. The certificate can be found at: AddTrustExternalCAroot.CER. In case of problems always verify you have downloaded and installed this certificate, also verify that the wireless connection setup is using this certificate.

Or Microsoft Windows Vista. Click "Start->Settings->Control Panel->Network". Choose "Setup connection or network". Choose "Setup manually". Choose then "Science" (with 1 capital!), WPA Enterprise and TKIP. Next choose "Change connection settings" and click in the tab "Security" on "Protected EAP" and "Settings...". In the window "Protected EAP properties" one has to check "Validate server certificate" and for "Certificate Authority" check the box: "AddTrustExternalCAroot". Choose the verification method "Protected password (EAP-MSCHAP v2) and withing this in "Configure" uncheck "Automatically use my Windows-logonname and -password (and domain if necessary)". If one doesn't want to make a connection with previously entered account information, one can uncheck "Cache user information for subsequent connections to this network". In the meantime see if necessary the Cable Guy). In the near future, we will provide a detailed installation manual, until then one can use, if needed, the manual as mentioned above. If this is too difficult, don't hesitate to stop by C&CZ with your laptop.

For the Eee PC the easiest way is to install the operating system eeeXubuntu, see wiki.eeeuser.com. After installing eeeXubuntu, you can easily access the wireless network by clicking on the wireless-icon in the bottom right of your screen, selecting 'Science' and then entering your username and password.

The Apple iPhone and iPod Touch have since July, 2008 with the iPhone 2.0 software update support for WPA with 802.1x, so should be able to use the wireless network. There are however problems with RU-wlan.

Username and passwordBefore any Internet-traffic is possible, the combination of a loginname and password is checked through the 802.1x mechanism. One should prevent giving the loginname/password combination to a rogue (non-C&CZ) access-point, by checking the server-certificate. All traffic is encrypted with constantly changing keys, which makes eavesdropping impossible.

For the "Science" network a C&CZ (science) username and password. Every employee and student of the Faculty of Science has (a right to) that.

Or a username/password of an institution that takes part in EduRoam. Remark: Outgoing wireless connections from the Science buildings to institutes that participate in EduRoam will be available from Q2 2011, after the access points in these buildings have been replaced.

RU-wlan for iPhone / iPod / iPad

Background and future

At the end of 2004, it was decided that we wanted blanket wireless coverage in Huygens-building phase I. Later it was decided that the RU would supply wireless coverage everywhere on campus.

After meetings with the UCI, Vosko and Cisco we chose the Cisco 1130AG as wireless access point. After a site survey, 54 of these access points were placed in Huygens-building phase I.

We had a lot of trouble with the initial configuration, due to our wish to use our existing FreeRadius radius server, which was not supported by our suppliers, our wish to spread the users in different VLANs (subnets) and the wish to make a safe WPA network, for which the users of MS-Windows XP2 SP2 wouldn't have to install extra software and the users wouldn't give their passwords to wrong servers (without correct certificate).

During 2006 the wireless network was extended to the Huygens building phase II and NanoLab.

After that, the network has been expanded to HFML, Botanic Greenhouse, WortelLab, ITS and Linnaeus building.

In the near future, wireless connectivity will be available in (probably) Mercator III (A2-wing after renovation) and several locations outside (lawn, terrace, ....).

The next generation wireless network will be implemented somewhere in 2011: faster with 802.11n (200+ Mbit/s) and even more secure with WPA2 (better hardware encryption).

As soon as we switch to VoIP (Voice Over IP, IP-Telephony) for our telephone system, we will look into VoWLAN (Voice over WLAN) as wireless speech solution.